Self-locking wedge



Sept. 1o, 194e. J, A, JO ES 2,407,427

SELF-LOCKING WEDGE Filed Oct. 11, 1943 James 4 (/0096,

Patented Sept. 10, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-LOCKING WEDGEJames A. J ones, Fayetteville, Ark.

Application October 11, 1943, Serial No. 505,834

6 Claims.

The invention is designed primarily for use as a means of insuring thesecure attachment of a tool, for example a hatchet, hammer or axe, uponits handle, but is capable of use with beneficial results in many otherrelations where a tight and secure joint between a handle, rod, shank orlike member of wood or other suitable material and its head, socket orcooperating coupling may be necessary or desirable.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of animproved locking device for use in the connection of a handle, rod,shank or like member and its head or socket which may be easily andinexpensively manufactured but which will be effectiv and durable inproducing and maintaining a tight and secure connection.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a lockingdevice which may be sold as a unit, completely assembled with itslooking means and ready for use, the insertion of the device intoposition placing the locking means into active locking relation and thusrendering it unnecessary to insert an additional locking lement afterthe insertion of the locking device.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a self-locking wedgewhich may be handled and applied in the same manner and with the samefacility as the ordinary wedge heretofore used in endeavoring to tightenand render secure various joints, such, for example, as the connectionsbetween axes, hatchets, hammers and the like and their handles, andwhich, when applied, will produce a tighter and more secure and lastingjoint or connection.

A further object is th provision of a wedge for tool handles or the likewhich is self-locking and will not work loose or become ineffectivethrough repeated and long-continued use of the tool or other articlewhich it is designed to hold secure.

Other objects and advantages of the improved device which constitutes myinvention will be apparent from the accompanying specification anddrawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the preferred form of my improvedlocking device;

Figure 2 is an edge elevational view of the device illustrated in Fig.1;

Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to those of 1 and. 2, respectively, ofa modified form of my locking device;

Figure 5 is a central vertical sectional view, generally similar to theedge elevational views of Figs. 2 and 4, of another modified form ofembodiment of my invention;

Figures 6 and '7 are views similar to the views 2 of Figs. 1 and 5,respectively, showing a modified form of attachment of the lockingmember to the wedge;

Figure 8 is a vertical side elevational view (partly broken away) of atool with my locking device applied thereto, the locking device beingindicated in dotted lines; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary central vertical sectional view through thelocking device in Fig. 8, taken on a plane at right angles to the planeof Fig. 8 and showing the locking device in its looking position.

Essentially my invention comprises a locking device, preferably in theform of a wedge I of usual tapered configuration end to end, withsubstantially flat side faces 2, 3, associated with a locking membercomprising arms 4, 5 (Figs. 1 and 2), M, I5 (Figs. 3 and 4) or 24, 25'(Fig. 5) secured towedge I and normally projecting outwardly therefromon its opposite sides. The wedge I may be made of malleable iron orother suitabl material. while the locking arms l, 5 or arms I4, 55, or24, 25, may be of wire possessing sufiicient strength and resiliency. tohave a tendency to stand outwardly from the wedge and bite into the woodor other material in which they are designed to exert a locking action.Arms 4, 5 (or arms l l, I5, or 24, 25') may be formed integrally as aunitary locking member, or as separate arms welded or otherwise securelyanchored to wedge I; the integral form of construction is pref-erred.because it is easier to manufactureand assemble and is less liable tobecome detached after having been placed in position on Wedge I.

Each form of my invention illustrated in the drawing includes suchintegral form of locking member, respectively designated A in Figs. 1and 2, B in Figs. 3 and i and C in Fig. 5. Each locking member comprisesa pair of arms 4, 5 (or I4, I5, or 24, 25) connected by an intermediateneck 6 engaging wedge I in such manner that the arms, at their free endportions, project outwardly from Wedge l and beyond the side facesthereof, As a convenient and effective manner of securing the arms 4,(or I i, I5, or 2d, 25) to wedge I, the locking member A (or lockingmember B or C) may be passed through an aperture I provided in wedge Ifor this purpose and may be firmly anchored in the walls of aperture 1by bending locking member A (or locking member B or C) to form ananchoring loop 8 seated in. grooves 9 in the side walls of wedge I, withits neck 6 in aperture I. Although not essential, welding of loop 8 forfurther security, if desired.

As an alternative manner of anchoring locking member A (or lookingmember B or C) to wedge I, neck 6 may be engaged in a notch ID in thepointed or thinner end II of wedge I and loop 8 seated in recesses orgrooves 9 in its side walls, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

The arms 4 and 5, I4 and I5, and 24 and 25, of locking members A, B andC, respectively, when attached to wedge I in either of the waysdescribed above, are bent, from the free ends of loop 8, inwardly intoslot I2 and projected through slot I2 into locking position. The partsof each loop 8 which extend along the side faces of wedge I seat in thegrooves 9 to prevent their projection beyond the surface of either ofsuch side faces.

In looking member C, the simplest form of my device (shown in Fig. 5),the arms 24, 25, bend form a spring seat of greater strength andresiliency for the active portion of each of the arms [4, I5, whichproject outwardly from slot It in substantially straight lockingportions which stand substantially at right angles to the planes thereofand substantially in alignment with slot I2.

In looking member A, the preferred form of my invention (shown in Figs.1 and 2), the construction is generally similar to locking members B andC, its neck 6 being anchored in aperture I, its loop 8 being seated ingrooves 9 and its arms 4 and 5 being bent inwardly in crossed relationthrough slot I2 and reversely bent, at 4' and 5, respectively, andextending, from bends 4', 5' through and outwardly of slot I2 toward thethicker end of wedge I. In looking member A, however, the free ends ofthe arms 4, 5, instead of projecting from the reverse bends 4, 5',

substantially straight through slot I2 and beyond the respective outerfaces of wedge I substantially at right angles to the wedge faces, as inlooking members B and C, are formed with a twist or spiral curve in eacharm, so that the effective ends of the locking arms 4, 5, are positionedon opposite sides of the axial line of slot I2, the remaining portionsof arms 4, 5, standing substantially in alignment with slot I2.

This configuration of arms 4, 5, gives the spring locking member Aspiral stress and the arms 4, 5, greater penetrating action when wedge Iis driven into position, for example into handle 33 of tool 3i, makingthe ends I3 of arms 4, 5, bite more deeply into the Wood of handle 3!).The twisting effect of the spiral and the bending strain at the reversebends 4', 5, continue to exert themselves when the wedge I is seated,thus increasing the locking action of wedge I and the difiiculty of itswithdrawal.

In order to increase their biting action the active ends I3 of arms 4, 5(or of arms I4, I5, or 24, of locking members A, B or C, respectively,may be pointed or sharpened.

It is to be understood that the wire of which locking members A, B and Care formed may be flat or of any other suitable cross-sectional shape orconfiguration, my invention not being limited to the use of round wire.It should also be understood that the wedge I may be made in differentsizes and that the locking member A, B or C is capable of variation insize relative to the size of wedge i. It should also be noted that thenotch I0, shown in Fig. 6, is enlarged for the sake of clarity and needonly be of sufiicient width to permit the entry of neck 6.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a wedge having a slottherein and a plurality of locking arms each secured at one end to saidwedge in its relatively thin portion and projecting through said slotand beyond the opposite faces of said wedge in the direction of thethicker end of said wedge. 1

2. A device of the character described comprising a wedge having a slottherein and locking arms each secured at one end to said wedge in itsrelatively thin portion, said arms extending in crossed relationshipthrough said slot with their free ends projecting beyond the oppositefaces of said wedge in the direction of the thicker end of said wedgeand substantially in alignment with said slot.

3. A device of the character described compris ing a wedge having a slotand an opening therein, said openi being adjacent the thinner edge ofsaid wedge, and an integral locking member comprising a pair of lockingarms connected by a of the Wider f e of Wedge I on Opposite Sides neckportion and a loop portion, said neck portion being seated in saidopening and said loop portion embracing a portion of said wedge betweensaid cpening and said slot, said arms extending through said slot withtheir free ends projecting beyond the opposite faces of said wedge.

4. A device of the character described comprising a Wedge having fiatinclined faces and tapered side edges, a slot through said facessubstantially on its medial longitudinal line and a notch in the thinnertapered edge substantially in longitudinal alignment with said slot, andan integral looking member comprising a pair of locking arms connectedby a neck portion and a loop portion, said neck portion being seated insaid notch and said loop portion embracing said wedge between said notchand said slot, said arms extending through said slot. with their freeends projecting beyond the opposite fiat inclined faces of said wedge.

5. A device of the character described comprising a metal wedge having aslot therein and an integral resilient Wire locking member comprising apair of locking arms secured ts said wedge at its relatively thinnerportion with their free ends extending through and projecting beyondsaid slot in the direction of the thicker end of said wedge, theterminal portions of said free ends being sharpened.

6. A device of the character described comprising a wedge having a slottherethrough and a notch in its thinner tapered edge, and locking armseach secured at one end to said wedge in said notch, said arms extendingthrough said slot with their free ends projecting beyond the oppositefaces of said wedge toward its head portion.

JAMES A. JONES.

